Lobos Host Utah State Thursday

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— After earning three points last week, the Lobo soccer team continues their homestand Thursday against Utah State. Start time is set for 7:30 p.m. with a stream on the Mountain West Network and live stats available for those unable to attend.

UNM enters the match 4-2-4, 1-1-2 in conference, while Utah State is 6-6-1, 3-1-0 in conference.

GETTING STARTED
The Lobos went 1-1-0 last week, picking up three points in Sunday’s win over Air Force. It was the first time this season that the Lobos won when trailing at the half (trailed 1-0) and the second time winning when scoring second (other time was against NMSU).

The Lobos have started a different lineup in eight of the 10 matches with only the same lineup in the Cal State Fullerton and Colorado matches, and the Colorado College and San Jose State matches.

Midfielder Dalis Bruce made her first career start against TTU, and Kennedy Brown, Sariah Brady and Fiona Jenkins making their first starts against NAU. In the match against USD, Skye McMillon and Presely Devey were added to the first collegiate start list and Nicole Anderson started her first collegiate match at Fresno State.

The Lobos have started three freshmen this season in Jenkins, Brady and N. Anderson, with Jenkins starting eight matches and playing 90 minutes in three of the last four matches and four times this season. Jenkins has played the fourth-most minutes this season at 768.

Alli Davis, Natalie DeGagne, Paige Satterlee and Myah Isais have started all 10 matches.

LAST TIME RECAP
New Mexico scored twice in a span of six minutes in the final 20 minutes of Sunday’s Mountain West contest against Air Force behind goals from two more first-time goal scorers this season to emerge with the 2-1 victory.

Entering the second half trailing 1-0, UNM found the equalizer in the 70th minute on a Nicole Anderson assist to Sophia Roberts, and the momentum continued to be with the Lobos as Paris Dalton scored in the 76th minute for her first goal of the season. Both Anderson and Roberts tallied their first points of the season on the goal, while Dalton tallied her first career goal.

UNM had a 7-4 advantage in shots on goal in the match, outshooting Air Force 4-1 in shots on goal in the second half.

The last time the Lobos faced Utah State, the teams played to a scoreless draw as Alli Davis made a season- and career-high eight saves in her fifth shutout of the season.

SERIES vs. UTAH STATE
UNM has faced Utah State 13 previous times with the Lobos holding an 8-2-3 advantage in the series. UNM is 4-1-1 at home and has won the last four matches in Albuquerque. UNM has outscored USU 10-5 in home matches.

UNM had a six-match win streak against the Aggies from Sept. 25, 2015 to March 13, 2021 and currently has a three-match unbeaten streak in the series (two wins and a tie).

UNM is 3-1-1 and outscored USU 7-3 in the last five meetings and is 8-1-1 and has outscored the Aggies 17-7 under Coach Heather Dyche.

SHARE THE WEALTH
The Lobos have had 10 different goal scorers and six different players credited with an assist this season.

Ellie Robinson scored the first goal of the season in the 87th minute against Texas Tech in the season opener, and Skye McMillon scored her first goal of the season in the 27th minute against Cal State Fullerton. Margaux Clarke broke the tie in the 48th minute against the Titans for her first goal as a Lobo. Brynn Boeyink scored the game-winner on a penalty kick in the 68th minute at San Diego.

In the match against NMSU, the Lobos had three different goal scorers all recording their first career goals. Mercedes Morris scored in the 5th minute to tie the match, Presley Devey gave UNM the lead in the 36th minute and Myah Isais sealed the win with a header in the 58th minute.

Devey became the first Lobo to score multiple goals this season when the sophomore scored against SJSU in the 55th minute.

Natalie DeGagne scored in the match against Colorado College, scoring in the 70th minute. It was her first goal since Oct. 16, 2022 against Nevada.  Paris Dalton scored her first-career goal in the last match against Air Force on a free kick in the 76th minute after Sophia Roberts scored her first goal of the season to tie the match in the 70th minute.

Paris Dalton and Paige Satterlee assisted on Robinson’s goal, while Margaux Clarke assisted on McMillon’s goal and Myah Isais provided the assist in Clarke’s goal. The points were the first for Isais since an assist against Wyoming back on Sept. 24, 2021 and McMillon’s goal was the first for the Lobo since Oct. 16, 2022 against Nevada. Clarke’s goal and assist were the first as a Lobo and set a career high in points for the redshirt junior. Clarke and Dalton recorded assists against NMSU on Morris’ and Isais’ goals, respectively, and DeGagne assisted on Devey’s goal. Nicole Anderson picked up her first points as a Lobo after assisting on Roberts’ goal against Air Force.

Three players have four points on the season for the team high: Margaux Clarke (1 goal, 2 assists), Paris Dalton (1 goal, 2 assists) and Presley Devey (2 goals).

SHOOT YOUR SHOT
The Lobos have recorded 17 or more shots six times this season with a season-high 24 in the match against Colorado College on Sept. 28. UNM had 17 against Colorado and San José State, 18 at San Diego and 19 against Northern Arizona and Cal State Fullerton. UNM had 15 against NMSU, 14 against Fresno State and 11 against Air Force giving the Lobos 10+ in the last nine matches.

Of those, 11 were on goal against Colorado College, eight were on goal at San Diego and nine were on goal against Cal State Fullerton and NMSU.

UNM has had the advantage in shots in seven of the last nine matches (19/9 vs. NAU, 19/10 vs. CSF, 18/7 vs. USD, 15/8 vs. NMSU, 17/15 at SJSU, 14/7 at FS and 24/10 vs. CC) and in shots on goal in six of the last eight (9/2 vs. CSF, 8/6 vs. USD, 9/6 vs. NMSU, 4/2 at FS, 11/5 vs. CC, 7/4 vs. AF).

The Lobos rank third in the MW in shots per match at 15.70, behind Air Force at 16.09 and San Diego State (16.0). UNM currently ranks 58th in the NCAA in shots per match.

Natalie DeGagne and Presley Devey lead with 10 shots on goal, while DeGagne also leads with 29 shots. DeGagne had a career-high 10 shots and career-high four shots on goal against CC. DeGagne is third in the MW and 106th in the NCAA in shots per game at 2.90.

UP NEXT: The Lobos close out their homestand Sunday against Boise State at home with a scheduled start time of 12:30 p.m. Sunday will also be Club Day.